Grading the Jets Draft

Round 1, Muhammed Wilkerson, DT, Temple.

Wilkerson came out after his Junior year at Temple. He had nothing else to prove. Wilkerson is a beast who can only get better if he learns to get violent at the point of attack. He had 9.5 sacks last year Temple to go along with 70 tackles. He should be able to slide in at defensive end and generate a pass rush that was on the fritz last year. He gets all over the field by using quickness not always seen on men of his size (6'4", 315 lbs). He actually can afford to add some weight and should so he can throw off blockers on his way to the ball carrier. The Jets think he should be able to step in right away and add to a pass rush that was lacking last year. He will definitely do that. Great pick at #30 in the first. Grade: A+

Round 3, Kenrick Ellis, DT, Hampton.

Ellis comes from a small school that played decent competition. Coming from a small school is never a detractor in my opinion. The Jets might have gotten a steal here, IF he can keep his nose clean. He wasn't the best student on or off the field. South Carolina kicked him out for violating team policy, and got himself arrested for assault last year. On the field, Ellis has some flaws but that is easily corrected. He possesses good size, strength, and speed for someone his size (6'4", 346 lbs). Had he been a more upstanding citizen he might have been a first round pick. Rex Ryan will have his hands full with him but if he can stay out of trouble he will be an excellent addition. I just question the Jets using a third rounder, their second pick in the draft on someone with as much of a checkered past as Ellis', especially when a lot of Jets have had trouble staying out of the headlines for off-field stuff in recent years. Grade: B+ to A-

Round 4, Bilal Powell, RB, Louisville.

Very productive back in college who should be able to contribute on special teams and in the backfield. He averaged 6.1 YPC last season while rushing for 1,488 yards. He won't run away from people and has average size for a running back (5'10" 207 lbs). Can he be an everydown back in the NFL? I don't see why not if he learns the offense and works hard. The instincts are there and he has the patience to wait for holes to open up. He won't lose yards too often because he won't panic and start running wild in the backfield. He will also be able to assist Mark Sanchez catching passes out of the backfield. A very underrated pick in the 4th round. Grade: B

Round 5, Jeremy Kerley, WR, TCU.

Kerley isn't going to win as many jump balls as, say, Braylon Edwards, but he is pretty quick off the line. He isn't blinding in the speed department but uses quickness off the snap to grab the ball on a quick throw and he takes off, using his shiftiness to make a play. He is fearless over the middle and will hang on to the ball once caught. He will also help out on special teams as a return man. The Jets might have a good one here, especially if they lose Edwards or Santonio Holmes to free agency. Grade: B.

Round 7, Greg McElroy, Alabama.

This was one of my favorite picks because I think McElroy was highly undervalued at the quarterback position this year. He is an accurate passer, completing 70.9% of his passes last year and 60.9 in 2009. He isn't the prototypical size for a QB (6'1", 200 lbs) but neither is Drew Brees. He knows how to win, he is a smart quarterback, rarely making a bad throw. He is strictly a pocket passer, lacking the quickness to make much happen if protection dissolves and he is forced to run. However, he will stay in the pocket until the last second to make his throw. I really like this pick. Let this kid sit behind Mark Sanchez and someone else while he learns the offense and you will have a very capable backup who could develop into a starter down the road. Grade: A+

Round 7, Scotty McKnight, WR, Colorado.

Childhood friend of QB Mark Sanchez. Sometimes all you need between a QB and WR is chemistry and there certainly is chemistry here. With a 7th round pick, why not see if something develops between these two and they can make it produce on the field. McKnight is 5'10" so he has decent size, not dominating, for a wide receiver. He is also very productive, becoming the first Colorado receiver to lead the team in catches for four years. He was also the 10th player in college football history to catch a pass in every game he played in. If I were a GM I would have taken this guy a lot earlier than the 7th round. But, nobody did...until the Jets did. I am willing to bet a few bucks he makes the team and is a very productive possession receiver for the Jets this year or next. Grade: A+

Grading the Giants Draft

Round 1, Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska.

Who knew that when the Giants were on the clock that Prince Amukamara would be staring them in the face. Many people expected the Giants to select Nate Solder, Gabe Carimi, or Anthony Costanzo. But when someone sends you a gift, you take it and that is exactly what the Giants did when Prince was sitting there. Amukamara has the potential to become a shut down corner in the NFL. He was considered the best cover corner in the draft and with Corey Webster, Aaron Ross, and Terrell Thomas in front of him he won't be asked to carry the load right away. Instead, he turns a unit that got burned too many times on deep plays last season into a potential strength. Jerry Reese will always take the best player available and he certainly was at the time. Grade: A+

Round 2, Marvin Austin, DT, UNC.

Austin could have been a first round pick but he missed 2010 due to being dismissed from the team for improper dealings with an agent. He has some serious makeup work to do in the maturity department but there are some solid citizens in the locker room that can lead Austin on the right path. He lacks consistency because his work ethic isn't the best but is explosive when he gets going. With the defensive line the Giants have he won't be asked to do too much right away and should be able to step into a rotation if he can grasp the defensive scheme of Perry Fewell. If he gets his head out of his posterior he can become a force for the Giants in time. Grade: A-

Round 3, Jerrel Jernigan, WR, Troy.

Many people scratched their heads when the Giants picked Jernigan. However, with Steve Smith coming off of micro-fracture surgery his return and effectiveness are questionable. Jernigan can also add a new dimension to the Giants offense as he can run out of the backfield and also throw the ball. Perhaps a wildcat offense is not out of the question at times. What's more, Jernigan can flat out run. He is also an excellent special teams player, something the Giants need, especially in the return game. He can either be Santana or Sinorice Moss. The Giants might have gotten a steal here. Grade: B+

Round 4, James Brewer, OT, Indiana.

The first thing that comes to mind when you see this guy is "wow!" He is huge. 6'7" and 325 lbs. The second thing that comes to mind is "raw." The Giants needed offensive line help in this draft and waited until the fourth round to address it. Brewer needs a lot of work before he steps into a starting job, but with Shaun O'Hara (if healthy), Chris Snee, Rish Seubert, Kareem McKenzie, David Diehl, and Will Beatty, the Giants have a decent offensive line....when healthy. If the Giants bring back Shawn Andrews then the depth increases but so does the health concerns. Brewer will need to work extremely hard to become a consistent member of the rotation. As he learns he should begin to see more and more playing time. He will need to adapt to the next level, something that many scouts question. His size is a plus as he can compensate with pure size what he lacks in talent. I don't know if he will be a starter in this league but with work can become a solid back-up. Grade: C

Round 6, Greg Jones, LB, Michigan State.

Jones is one of those guys that produces on the field despite being the ideal type of linebacker. He has the speed to make up for his mistakes but has the instincts to make sure he doesn't make too many of those. Jones also never missed a game due to injury. His only real weakness is his lack of strength, something that can be corrected with work in the weight room. He needs to show he can shed the blocker, violently if needed, and bring the ball carrier to the ground. He has the smarts and football instincts to lead a defense. Two-time All-American in 2009 and 2010. For a sixth round pick, Jones is a great value. Grade: A

Round 6, Tyler Sash, S, Iowa.

This guy will run through a wall for his coaches. He's one of those hard-working, high production players that seems to play above his athletic level. I don't know if that will translate into a starting job down the road but Sash will bust it out on special teams, making that tackle no matter what is put in front of him. He could work his way into a rotation in the secondary but right now he will be a Steve Tasker-type gunner. One plus, he has a nose for the ball. He uses great football instincts and knowledge to position himself in the right place to make the pick, something the Giants need...badly. Grade: B-

Round 6, Jacquian Williams, LB, South Florida.

Williams is a JuCo transfer and only played two years at South Florida...like Jason Pierre-Paul, last season's first round pick. Technically, he only has one full year of football under his belt so he is raw. He also played at 220 lbs. last season so he is going to need to bulk up on his 6'3" frame. However, he recently weighed in at 235 so he has been working on it. The key to Williams' game is speed. He uses his speed to fly all over the field and can range from sideline to sideline. He will be a project but the potential is there to turn into something special. When you have 3 sixth round picks, you might as well take a project. Grade: C (I'm thinking this will turn into an A+...call it a hunch).

Round 7, Da'Rel Scott, RB, Maryland.

Not exactly the best back in the draft but he is one of the fastest. He averaged 5.58 YPC while at Maryland and, if he grasps the offense, can develop into a good third down back. He can make the catch out of the backfield and use his speed to turn it on. He could also help out on special teams as he learns the offense. Grade: B-.